Methods, devices and compositions for preserving human milk

Abstract

Described herein, are compositions and methods for preserving human milk, preventing rancidity of human milk, extending shelf life of human milk, and maintaining the nutritional properties of human milk. Specifically, the present disclosure provides, among other things, devices for storing preserved human milk and methods and compositions for preserving the same.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for preserving human milk, the method comprising:
 (a) contacting human milk with a composition comprising:
 (i) pectin; 
 (ii) vitamin C; and 
 (iii) vitamin E; and 
   (b) storing the human milk,   wherein the preserving comprises decreasing lipase activity in the human milk.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises between about 0.034 mg/mL to about 9 mg/mL pectin. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises between about 0.676 μg/mL to about 101 μg/mL vitamin C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises: between about 0.0182 μg/mL to about 2.68 μg/mL vitamin E, wherein the vitamin E is natural vitamin E; or between about 0.0122 μg/mL to about 1.8 μg/mL vitamin E, wherein the vitamin E is synthetic vitamin E. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a whey protein. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises phytic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) salt, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a thiocyanate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an ice-binding protein. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storing is at a temperature of between about −20° C. to about 30° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in a premeasured amount in a storage container and the human milk is added to the storage container and the contacting is in the storage container. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the storage container is sealed after the human milk is added to the storage container. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the volume of the human milk is between about 4 fluid ounces and about 6 fluid ounces. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preserving further comprises maintaining antioxidation capacity of the human milk, preventing rancidity of the human milk, extending shelf life of the human milk, maintaining the nutritional properties of human milk, or a combination thereof.